Laptops gaining popularity

While shopping for a new personal computer recently, Paul Wegerson, 22, was certain of only one thing: He didn't want a desktop.

"I have a desktop now. But more and more, notebook computers are becoming as powerful as desktops and they're portable," said Wegerson. Scanning the laptop computers at a Best Buy store, he added, "I want to be able to use my PC when I'm in a coffee shop, on a plane or outside."

Wegerson isn't the only one who wants portability. Laptops don't yet rule consumer computing, but in the United States they're gaining on the venerable desktop. Despite costing more than desktops, laptops are selling based on the dual conveniences of portability and built-in Wi-Fi (a wireless networking standard) for Internet access, plus the laptop performance gains that have made them nearly the computing equals of desktops.

Laptops are changing the way people work and spend their leisure time. Demand for more powerful laptops could force manufacturers to change how the machines are designed.

"Four or five years ago, laptops were not powerful enough to do most of what you did on desktops, but today they are," said Howard Locker, chief architect for IBM's personal computing division in Raleigh, N.C. "Desktops are still more powerful overall, but most people don't need that much power unless they're playing 3-D games or creating animations."

Most laptop buyers are "purchasing their second or third computers. They've had a desktop PC, and they want to take computing to the next level," said Matt Sargent, director of research at the Current Analysis consulting firm in Sterling, Va.

That next level is lifestyle flexibility, Locker said. "You can work on your laptop and still spend time with the family instead of being restricted to the computer room of the house. Or you can go to Starbucks or Barnes & Noble and work and have wireless Internet access."

While laptops still cost significantly more than desktops, their average retail purchase price has dropped 9 percent over the past three years. Laptops cost an average of $1,352 in the period from June 2003 to May 2004, said the NPD Group of Port Washington, N.Y.

What's more, retailers periodically offer promotions in which low-end laptops cost $850 or less after rebates. By comparison, the average selling price of a desktop was $735 in the 12-month period ending in May, NPD said.

"The price of a laptop is worth it," said Matthew Kendrick, a 24-year-old home siding installer who was recently gazing at a $1,000 Compaq laptop in a CompUSA store.

Reminded that he could buy some desktop PC models for under $400 after rebates, Kendrick was unmoved.

"I travel often, and I want to be able to take my computer to a library or a coffee shop," Kendrick said.

In the business world, it's much the same story. An increasing number of workers are being given laptops that can function as either a desktop or a portable PC. In the office, the laptops plug into "docking stations" that connect them to standard-sized monitors and keyboards. When unplugged from the docking stations, the laptops can be used for business travel.

"The reason why a lot of corporations have switched from desktop PCs to laptops is that they like being able to turn their people into 24-hour workers," Locker said. "With laptops, employees can work at home at night and on weekends, which creates big productivity gains for businesses."

Despite that, it is consumers and not businesses that have been driving laptop sales for the past two years, said Alan Promisel, an analyst at research firm IDC in Framingham, Mass.

"We've seen two quarters of resurgence in corporate information technology spending, and we think laptops will benefit from a replacement cycle in business. But it's very early in that cycle," Promisel said. "As the economy improves, corporate technology budgets will improve."

Laptop manufacturers are really making two types of laptops to cater to customers who are polar opposites: A light, battery-conserving laptop for business travelers, and a heavy, full-featured, battery-guzzling model for people who will use their laptops as desktop replacements in the living room or the coffee shop.

"Home users don't care about battery life," Sargent said. "They want screen size, affordability and wireless connectivity within the home. Corporate people buy smaller 12- to 14-inch screens which use less power, because they are travelers and to them battery life is very important."

Some analysts predict laptops will become the top unit sellers at retail in the United States within four years, and perhaps much sooner.

More Reading...

Thousands ofcollege-bound students and their parents soon will face decisions on whether to bring a computer to campus and what kind to buy. Those were tough questions years ago, when the first of our four kids started college. Internet access wasn't as important ... [Read More...]

USB flash drives such as this are being used by students at Eastside Preparatory School in Kirkland. The small computer memory devices may replace some textbooks and other paper-based learning tools once the new technology is fully implemented at the school. SCOTT COHEN | ... [Read More...]

The iMac G5, a new system that features a G5 processor and a new design that integrates the entire computer right into the flat panel display, AP photo by Francois Mori Apple Computer Inc. on Tuesday unveiled its long-awaited iMac G5, an all-in-one ... [Read More...]

The year was 1984, and upstart Apple Computer Inc. got the world's attention with a Super Bowl spot that served notice on IBM and other PC makers that personal computing wouldn't be the same after Apple Macintosh arrived. At the recent Macworld Expo in ... [Read More...]

First-year college students who plan to bring their own computer to campus this year face decisions much different than ever before and much simpler because the college computing environment is changing dramatically. Colleges led the Internet revolution and became the most wired places ... [Read More...]